Liberal Communicators Network (LCN): Non-Profit Academy 2026, is going to take place from September 29 to October 28, 2026.
TOPIC: Mission-driven organizations face a communications landscape that shifts faster than most of us can keep up with — from the rise (and reinvention) of short-form video to the growing role of AI in content creation and advocacy. Liberal communicators too often hesitate at this frontier: our messages can feel too complex for fast-paced platforms, or we worry about diluting serious work with “light” formats. This Academy aims to change that. Across 10 sessions, participants will build a practical toolkit spanning marketing strategy, storytelling, AI-assisted content creation, podcasting, and short-form video — learning directly from world-class trainers and practitioners who have translated these trends into results for the non-profit and mission-driven sector.
WHEN: 10 sessions: 5 Core LCN Course and 5 Masterclasses, 17:00–19:00 CEST:
- Tue, 29/09 — Essential Marketing Strategy Decisions and the Best Planning Tools
- Wed, 30/09 — One-Person-Content Studio: AI Masterclass (Masterclass)
- Thu, 01/10 — Advanced AI
Tue, 06/10 — Hope-Based Communications - Wed, 07/10 — Podcasting (Masterclass)
- Thu, 08/10 — Real Writing Choices: How to Breathe Life into Your Writing, Use AI Wisely, and Stay Unmistakably You
- Tue, 13/10 — Helpers, Keepers, Captains & Artisans: How to Motivate Action
- Wed, 14/10 — Short-Form Video, Part 1 (Masterclass)
- Wed, 21/10 — Short-Form Video, Part 2 (Masterclass)
- Wed, 28/10 — Best Practices from Political Parties (Masterclass)
WHY: LCN aims to empower liberal communicators to adapt cutting-edge communication strategies, innovation, and marketing trends for the specific context of the mission-driven sector. LCN develops a professional community of non-profit communicators from civil society organizations, foundations, think tanks, and change-makers working on liberal topics. This year’s Academy brings together returning trainers such as Sven Gerst, Kivi Leroux Miller and her team, Thomas Coombes, and Medeni Sungur, alongside additional guest speakers, to share their expertise with the next cohort of LCN alumni.
WHO: The Academy is organized by the European Liberal Forum (ELF), in cooperation with Projekt: Polska and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Europe.
APPLY: Please apply here by September 14. Since selection will be competitive, please describe well your motivation, relevant experience, how the knowledge could be useful for you/your team/organization. Selection results will be announced by September 18.
Fill out the form and apply now here:
LINK TO THE APPLICATION FORM
Regulation 2025/2445 outlines ‘The prohibition on direct or indirect funding shall not prevent European political foundations from providing capacity building to support the formation of future political leaders in the Union’. Therefore, non-EU nationals cannot participate in training programmes at this time until more clarity is provided by the Authority. Only EU nationals wil be selected for this programme.
Events are organized by the European Liberal Forum. Events receive financial support from the European Parliament. The sole liability remains with the organizer. The European Parliament is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.